Crossed Lines
by Nantalith
Summary: Short oneshot about magic and alchemists.


I do not own anything nor do I make any money from this story. All rights apply.

ATTENTION This story doesn't fit in anywhere or with anything. It was written for fun and is complete. ATTENTION

**CROSSED LINES**

START –

"Right," said Edward as he bought his hands together with a clap and then slamming them to the ground. "Take this."

Light cracked around him and … through him. Ed frowned, something strange was happening. His heart beat the same rhythm as the time he failed to transmute his mother. He felt himself passing through a doorway but it was not the Gate.

He felt himself stumble forward and regaining his feet, looked around. He was in a large hall, there were four long tables filled with young people and the end of the hall filled with old people. They all wore long black robes and appeared to be in the middle of dinner but all were currently staring at him. While some looked alarmed, none showed any panic. A elderly gentleman got up from the top table and came forward a few steps,

"May I help you?" he asked, peering over his half-moon spectacles.

"Who are you?" demanded Ed, he was in the middle of a battle. "Why did you bring me here?"

"I am Professor Dumbledoor, and as to why you are here… no one here brought you here. You just appeared right in the middle of dinner," replied the man.

"Your name is Dumbledoor?" asked Ed.

The old man nodded and Ed burst out laughing. While some people were angered by Ed's comment Dumbledoor appeared unfazed.

"May I have the pleasure of your name?" asked Dumbledoor.

"Sure," said Ed, gaining control of himself. "My name is Edward Elric, Full Metal Alchemist."

Ed waited for gasps of recognition but there were none. _Backwate_r, he thought.

"Alchemist," mused Dumbledoor, "interesting."

"Right," said Ed, hands on hips, "if you would be so kind as to send me back – I'm in the middle of a fight."

"Like I said earlier, no one brought you here. You just arrived," explained Dumbledoor.

Ed took a moment to scan the room, there was nothing to indicate any sort of … what? He frowned, person calling technique thing.

"Okay," said Ed. Deciding to humour the old man. "Where am I then?"

"Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. England."

Ed sighed,

"Magic," he muttered, "you don't claim to do miracles, do you?"

"Miracles? No, just magic," replied Dumbledoor.

"Magic," muttered Ed again, "always someone …" he stopped.

"England? What's that?"

There was a heavy pause before Dumbledoor cleared his throat,

"I think it would be best if we spoke in my office."

Ed shrugged,

"Lead the way, old man" he said.

Once again there were glare toward Ed but what caught his attention was the sniggering from the green table – in particular a Blond haired boy who was flanked by some hefty looking thugs. He eyes narrowed, he wasn't sure he liked the look in the boy's face as he watched Ed follow Dumbledoor.

The structure of the castle was impressive, there was much over use of carved stone for Ed's liking but it wasn't his castle. He was about to ascend the stairs when he heard a noise; it was stone against stone. He watched as the stairs in front of him suddenly moved to the right.

"Huh," he said.

"The stairs can be a bit tricky sometimes," said Dumbledoor. "We will have to go another way.

"You're kidding," said Ed, "you want to get to that floor?"

Dumbledoor nodded as he watched Ed from over his glasses.

"I'll get you there," said Ed. _Right, old man – this is what a State Alchemist is. _

Ed clapped his hands and placed them on the floor. His grin widened as his alchemy worked. When he stood a stone arch stretched from where he stood to the next floor.

Dumbledoor stood looking at the arch.

"After you," said Ed, hand indicating the way.

Ed stood inspection Dumbledore's office. There were rows of books and moving pictures on the walls. He was dimly aware of the others in the room talking about someone who must not be named and another guy called Harry Potter. A book called 'Fanged Magical Creatures' caught Ed's eye. He was going to reach for it when he heard his name.

"Mr Elric," it was er, Snape who spoke or rather sneered.

Ed looked over his shoulder.

"Careful with those books," he said.

"Are they expensive?" asked Ed.

"No, they are dangerous."

"Dangerous?" asked Ed, they actually believed this magic rubbish.

"While this is all very cute, I've got a lot of work to do so I can't hang around here," said Ed, "I need a place that I can use to get back home."

"Cute?" repeated Snape, his hand going for something in his dress.

"Professor Snape," barked Professor McGonagall.

Ed once again switched off as the two began an argument in hissed voices. His eye caught the 'dangerous' book again and he pulled it off the shelf but before he could open it, it leapt out of his hands and clamped itself on his right arm. He shook is arm, trying to shake the book free but when that failed he tried pulling it off.

"Oi," he said turning to face the others.

Once he had their attention he pointed at the book on his arm,

"What's up with his book?"

"I told you it was dangerous," said Snape smugly while McGonagall rushed forward,

"Don't be alarmed, its fangs are small so shouldn't be too much damage to y…" she stopped.

The boy in front of her didn't appear to be in pain. Furthermore, there were a couple of teeth lying on the office floor.

Dumbledoor, who had up until now been watching Ed, stepped forward. He removed the book, taking some of Ed's jacket with it. All eyes fell on his arm and the metal that shone there.

"You have an interesting arm," said Dumbledoor.

"Ah," said Ed, "Automail."

"Automail?" asked McGonagall.

"What is it?" asked Snape.

Ed grinned and pulled off his jacket reveling his whole arm.

"This," he said.

There was a moments silence as the three Professors stared at Ed's arm.

"A muggle contraption," sneered Snape.

"Muggle – are you calling Winry a muggle? What is a muggle?" demanded Ed, ready to defend his mechanic.

"A muggle is a non-magic person," explained Dumbledoor calmly.

"Non-magical person…hmmm," thought Ed. "So you actually believe in magic?"

They nodded,

"We teach it at this school," said McGonagall.

"You don't believe in magic?" asked Snape, deliberately looming over Ed.

"Of course not – I'm an alchemist," said Ed, glaring at Snape – he didn't like this man; he had the same self righteous air as Mustang. And he looked down on Ed.

"Okay," said Ed suddenly, "show me."

He looked right at Snape as he said it.

Snape pulled out his wand. Ed leaned forward slightly, studying the wand.

"What's with the chopstick?" he asked.

"Cho… chopstick!" spluttered Snape. "This is a wand. It is used to perform magic."

"Ah, I see," said Ed.

He watched as Snape waved his er, wand and muttered some arcane words. The book that Dumbledoor was holding suddenly drifted into the air. Thinking that someone was picking it up, the book set about trying to attack its reader but there was no one there as it just snapped at random air for a while before hanging limply in the air.

Snape looked at Ed, who was studying and nodding his head.

"Good," he said.

Snape's whole body tensed at Ed's comment but Dumbledoor interrupted what ever Snape was about to say.

"I think Mr Elric should say in the Guest quarters, he can eat his meals in the main hall with everyone else. Is that agreeable?"

Ed nodded,

"Do you have a library?" he asked.

"Yes," said Dumbledoor, "and you are more than welcome to use it."

"Thank you, where is it?" asked Ed.

"Well, it's quite late at night perhaps you should rest first," said McGonagall.

"Late at night? I left in the middle of the morning, I am very awake," said Ed.

"All the same, I will show you to your room," said McGonagall.

Ed was about to argue but there was a look in her eye. It was somewhat scary.

"I can look at the library tomorrow," said Ed and followed her. He heard the other two start up a conversation but they spoke softly and Ed had no interest in what they had to say.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were dead curious about Edward Elric. Rumors were flying round about how he had 'fixed' the stair problem as well as the fact that he was staying in the guest accommodation indefinitely. During a free afternoon they went looking for him but he was not in the castle. After spending most of the afternoon looking they by found him by the lake, sitting under a tree. He fitted in amoung the roots and they hadn't been able to see him at first.

"Hi," said Hermione, "I'm Hermione Granger; this is Ron Weasly and Harry Potter."

Ed looked at each of them,

"Hi," he said.

"May we join you?" asked Harry.

Ed nodded.

There was a dead mouse lying under the tree. Ron picked it up by the tail and moved it else where, he took quite a while.

"I think he might be burying it," said Hermione.

"Why?" asked Ed.

"He had a pet rat," explained Harry.

"Did it die?" asked Ed. He was in a terrible melancholy mood, the library was useless to him and he had no idea how he got here let alone how he was going to get back.

"Um, well," started Hermione.

"Never mind, if it's dead it's dead. You can't bring it back," said Ed

"I wish I could bring back my parents," sighed Harry half-heartedly.

"You can't," said Ed, "once someone has crossed the Gate, there is nothing to bring back."

Hermione saw Ed glance down at his right arm and make a fist,

"There's nothing to bring back," he whispered.

She was sharp enough to realize that Ed knew what he was talking about and somehow it involved his metal arm, more to the point, how he had lost his real arm.

"How did you lose your arm?" asked Ron.

"Ron!" exclaimed Hermione. He had startled her, she hadn't noticed his return. He sat down next to her.

"Don't worry," said Ed standing up. "It was payment for a sin."

There was silence for a moment,

"I'm going to the library," said Ed and walked off.

"Payment?" questioned Ron.

"Hmm," mused Hermione. "I think he tried to bring someone back. That's why he knows so much about it."

Ed was sleeping when they found him, his head resting on an open book with his pen still in his hand. Hermione was shocked to see scribbles all over the page; and not just that book. All the books on alchemy were on the table and they all had been 'corrected' by Ed, he had also written piles of notes and stacks of drawings of circles.

"Ed," called Hermione, gently shaking his shoulder.

He woke with a start and looked around.

"Dinner is about to start so we came to find you," said Hermione.

"Oh, okay," said Ed rubbing his eye.

"What is all this?" asked Harry.

"I'm looking for a way home but your books are incorrect. This," said Ed holding up a picture of a circle, "is a transmutation circle. It allows alchemist to do alchemy."

"How?" asked Ron confused.

"You draw the circle on the ground and place your hands on it," said Ed.

"You don't draw this though," pointed out Harry.

"No," said Ed, "I don't."

"Is that a sign of how good you are?" asked Ron.

"No," said Ed sadly.

"Then why-" started Ron but Hermione cut him off.

"Ron, really."

"I was just asking," said Ron defensively.

"Its okay," said Ed, "A person doesn't need to draw circle if they have seen the Gate."

"The Gate," said Harry.

"Are you talking about the same Gate that people cross when they die? The one you spoke about by the lake?" asked Hermione.

Ed nodded,

"I saw it when I tried to bring my mother back. I paid with my leg and my brother with his body."

"I don't understand," said Hermione, "you have more than one brother?"

"No," said Ed, "Al lost his body and to keep his soul from crossing the Gate, I bound it to a suit of armour and paid with my arm."

"You saw the gate twice?" asked Harry thinking about his encounters with Lord Voldermort.

"Yes."

"So your brother doesn't have a body?" asked Hermione.

"He does," snapped Ed, then looked away.

"Sorry," he said. "Al does have a body, I will find it."

"What is this?" yelled a voice behind them. It was the librarian and she was looking at the books on the table.

"Oh," said Ed, "The information was incorrect. I had to correct it before I could go any further. Some things are further explained in these notes."

Ed picked up a stack of paper and placed it on one of the books.

"This book, however, is pathetic," said Ed tossing the book to the floor, the librarian flinched at the book landed. Ed picked up another set of notes, "These go with that book over there. I drew extra copies of the transmutation circle as well. You can't teach alchemy with what you have here so I wrote out some basic theories and practices for students-"

"Stop," yelled the librarian.

Ed looked up, notes in hand.

"We teach magic here. You will repair all these books right now."

Ed looked at the books then at the librarian,

"But I have repaired them," he said.

"OOOUUUTTT!"

Dinner that evening was a very quiet affair for Ed and his companions. Ed sat staring at the food in front of him, he felt completely disillusioned.

"I'm sure something will come up," said Hermione, trying to lighten the mood.

"You said that Hogwarts had the best library in the country," said Ed and she nodded, "all your works on alchemy are wrong. I don't think something will come up."

Suddenly Ed looked up, he felt … something - something he knew. He stood, every turned to look at him. Blue lines began to trace themselves across the sky above Ed; he grinned, he knew that circle.

After the lighting died down Ed was not surprised to see the Colonel standing there. He spotted Ed immediately – he was the only standing.

"Yo, Full Metal. How long are you going to waste funds by staying here," he said.

Before Ed could say anything Mustang turned to the head table and address the people there,

"I am Colonel Roy Mustang, Flame Alchemist. I have come to take my subordinate home. I appologise for any damage he has cause by his stay here."

"I haven't done any damage," yelled Ed cutting off Dumbledoor before he had a chance to speak. Dumbledoor cleared his throat,

"I am Professor Dumbledoor," he said. "It has been no hardship to look after Edward while he has been here."

Roy's eyes slid cross to Ed,

"He causes me small amounts-"

Ed leapt forward, fist raised.

"I'm not so small," he yelled.

Roy calmly blocked Ed's attack and held him at bay with his hand on Ed's head. After second of furious scrabbling Ed stood still and Roy let go.

"- of trouble," finished Roy. "Now if you will excuse me, we have to return."

"Before you go may I ask you some questions?" asked Dumbledoor.

Roy nodded.

"How are you going to return?"

Roy reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver chain, on it was a small charm.

"This charm glows when alchemy is used near it. When Ed placed his hands on this after making a transmutation circle, it triggered a reaction and brought him here. That was the theory, which I proved by coming here now."

"So using alchemy with it sends you back?" asked Dumbledore.

"That is the theory," said Roy.

"And if it fails?" asked Dumbledoor.

"Why should it?" asked Roy.

Dumbledoor smiled and nodded,

"What is a Flame Alchemist?" asked Professor McGonagall.

Roy reached out and took hold of Ed's arm while raising his other hand, the charm hanging from his fingers.

"In showing you, we will leave. Thank you for looking after Edward."

Dumbledoor nodded.

"Are we leaving now?" asked Ed, looking at Harry and the others. He hadn't said goodbye.

"Your brother is worried about you," said Roy.

"Al, is he okay? Did he defeat-"

"Everything is fine. Or will be when you return and Alphonse stops bugging everyone," said Roy.

Ed waved goodbye to Harry, Ron and Hermione; they returned the wave. Roy nodded goodbye to Dumbledoor and clicked his fingers. The spark ignited a cloud of flame and Ed felt the same sensation as before. When he opened his eyes he was back home and in the crushing hug of his brother.

- END


End file.
